Refugee appeals statistics

The Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) decides appeals of decisions of the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) to allow or reject claims for refugee protection. A person whose claim was rejected by the RPD can ask the RAD to review this decision in order to assess whether the RPD was wrong. An error by the RPD can be about the law, the facts, or both. The RAD decides whether to confirm or to change the RPD’s decision. It may also decide to send the case back to the RPD to hear it again, giving the directions to the RPD that it considers appropriate. The Minister can also appeal to the RAD a decision by the RPD allowing a claim.

The RAD generally makes its decisions without a hearing, on the basis of the submissions and the evidence provided by the parties. The person who is the subject of the appeal may also submit new evidence, for example, evidence that did not exist when the RPD made its decision. If the RAD accepts new evidence, it will consider the evidence in its review. It may also order an oral hearing to consider this new evidence.

Statistics

Please note that appeals finalized in a given year may have been filed in a previous year. The following tables include all intake: appeals by the claimant or by the Minister, and appeals that have been returned to the RAD from the Federal Court for re-determination.